Lockdown and non-COVID-19 deaths: Cause-specific mortality during the first wave of the 2020 pandemic in Norway. A population-based register study

ABSTRACT ObjectiveTo explore the potential impact of the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic on all cause and cause-specific mortality in Norway. DesignPopulation based register study. SettingThe Norwegian cause of Death Registry and the National Population Register of Norway. ParticipantsAll recorded deaths in Norway during March to May from 2010 to 2020. Main outcome measuresRate (per 100 000) of all-cause mortality and causes of death in the EU Shortlist for Causes of Death March to May 2020. The rates were age-standardised and adjusted to a 100% register coverage and compared with a 95% prediction interval (PI) based on corresponding rates for 2010-2019. Results113 710 deaths were included, of which 10 226 from 2020. We did not observe any deviation from predicted total mortality. There were fewer than predicted deaths from chronic lower respiratory diseases excluding asthma (11.4, 95% PI 11.8 to 15.2) and from other non-ischemic, non-rheumatic heart diseases (13.9, 95% PI 14.5 to 20.2). The death rates were higher than predicted for Alzheimer’s disease (7.3, 95% PI 5.5 to 7.3) and diabetes mellitus (4.1, 95% PI 2.1 to 3.4). ConclusionsThere was no significant difference in the frequency of the major causes of death in the first wave of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic in Norway. An increase in diabetes mellitus deaths and reduced mortality due to some heart and lung conditions may be linked to infection control measures.